Israeli Bombards Gaza; Humanitarian Crisis Escalates
Blinken meets with survivors; Latest on the ground in Gaza; What was Iran's role?
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Good morning,
We’ve made it through a difficult week, and hope you have a safe and restful weekend.
For all the Swifties (and the Beyhive?), the much-anticipated film version of Taylor Swift's ‘Eras Tour’ is officially out.
See ya there!
Mosheh & Jill
🗞 BOMBARDMENT CONTINUES, HUMANITARIAN CRISIS WORSENS
LATEST IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Israel is pummeling Gaza with air strikes, and maintaining blockades on electricity, water and fuel until Israeli hostages being held by Hamas are returned home.
Israel has dropped 6,000 bombs against Hamas targets in less than a week. For context, that is more than the US was dropping in Afghanistan in a year.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv.
Blinken said the US has already sent shipments of military support to Israel and vows more assistance.
He heads to Jordan next, where he is meeting with regional partners to ensure that the war does not spread.
There are now at least 27 Americans confirmed dead in the Hamas attack, a number that has been rising.
A dozen Americans are still missing, which means several may have been taken hostage by Hamas.
❝
The message I bring to Israel is this. You may be strong enough on your own to defend yourself, but as long as America exists, you will never have to. We will always be by your side.
Secretary of State, Antony Blinken
Blinken also met in Tel Aviv with survivors of the Hamas massacre, who thanked him for being there and said they just want the hostages to come home.
** WARNING **
Meanwhile, Israel's government showed U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and NATO defense ministers graphic images of dead Israeli children, brutally killed by Hamas.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office also released on social media a picture of a dead infant in a pool of blood and the charred body of a child, after many on social media questioned whether Hamas really carried out such atrocities. (WARNING: LINK TO PHOTOS ON X)
Bombing aftermath in Gaza. via Getty Images
ON THE GROUND IN GAZA
As for the situation on the ground in Gaza, the humanitarian crisis is getting worse.
A British-Palestinian surgeon told CNN that children make up “between 30 and 40% of the wounded” in Israel's recent airstrikes on Gaza. (About 50% of the Palestinian population in Gaza is under 18.)
He said that children and other patients come in with wounds from "the blast, shrapnel, masonry that flies in and damages their bodies, or they are crushed under the rubble of their own home.”
Over the last five days, Israeli warplanes have pummeled neighborhoods.
More than 300,000 Palestinians have evacuated–mainly to UN schools. There are about 80 in the territory.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke with Egyptian President Abdel Fatah El-Sisi to “underscore the importance of supporting civilians to leave Gaza.”
There is no clean water.
📍 It’s worth nothing that the EU spent more than $100 million to help build more than 30 miles of water pipelines for Palestinians in Gaza. Hamas has openly boasted and released video of their ability to dig up those pipes and sell them for money or to make home-made rockets.
The territory’s only power plant ran out of fuel Wednesday, leaving only generators that won’t last long.
Why hasn’t Hamas built shelters, power plants, and better water facilities with the billions in aid they’ve received over these last 16 years? The answer: Most of their budget is spent on military gear.
🔌 It’s something Mosheh talks about on a recent episode of Money Rehab with Nicole Lapin: The Money Trail of the Terrorist Attacks in Israel.
🚨 This all comes as Hamas has told residents to stay put and NOT leave their homes; Israel told them to evacuate as they target terrorists hiding among civilians. Israel actually hacked Palestinian Al Qasa TV to tell residents in Arabic to heed warnings and leave.
🧠 WAIT, WHAT?
Hamas cynically and horrifically uses civilians as human shields to try to prevent strikes on their weapons. Plus, a high death toll is a win for Hamas–as far as regional support and international sympathy. Yep, it’s gross. And innocent Palestinian civilians wind up caught in the middle.
WHAT ABOUT IRAN?
The United States and Qatar have reached a “quiet understanding” not to let Iran access any of the $6 billion in Iranian funds that were transferred to Qatari accounts last month. It was part of a deal to free five Americans detained in Iran.
After Hamas’ bloody attack on Israel on Saturday, the US Deputy Treasury Secretary told lawmakers that that money would not be touched anytime soon.
President Biden has been under pressure from US lawmakers to freeze the money.
So did Iran have anything to do with the attacks?
Administration officials have said there is no direct evidence of Iran having a direct link to the attack. But Iran has historically supported Hamas and funds the terrorist organization. There’s been some mixed reporting on the issue:
The WSJ says Iran helped plot the attack on Israel over several weeks, and in fact, The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps gave the final go-ahead last Monday in Beirut.
But other outlets like the NY Times and NBC News say that there is very good evidence that Iranian leaders were surprised by Hamas' attack on Israel last Saturday, prompting U.S. officials to question whether officials in Tehran actually did have a direct role in approving or planning the deadly assault.
⏳ SPEED READ
🚨NATION
📌 Steve Scalise ends bid for House speaker; GOP remains in chaos (NBC NEWS)
📌 Sen. Bob Menendez hit with new charge of conspiring to act as foreign agent (CBS)
📌 Social Security benefits will increase by 3.2% in 2024 as inflation moderates (AP)
📌 U.S. judge upholds suspension of right to carry guns in some New Mexico parks (REUTERS)
🌎 AROUND THE WORLD
📌 France uses teargas on banned pro-Palestinian rally as Macron calls for calm (REUTERS)
📌 Russian Olympic Committee suspended by IOC for incorporating Ukrainian sports bodies (NBC NEWS)
📌 UK to deploy Royal Navy ships to support Israel (BBC)
📌 Colombian navy seizes 20th "narco sub" of year, this one loaded with 3.3 tons of cocaine (CBS NEWS)
📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH
📌 Delta says Hollywood, auto strikes are denting business travel (NBC NEWS)
📌 What time is the annular solar eclipse on Oct. 14? (SPACE)
📌 Billionaire CEO demands UPenn leaders quit and donations halt over alleged failure to address antisemitism on campus (CNN)
📌 TikTok latest firm after X and Meta to be warned by EU over Hamas videos (BBC)
🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT
📌 SAG-AFTRA accuses studios of ‘bullying tactics’ after talks break down (LA TIMES)
📌 Bruce Willis is relatively 'incommunicative,' 'not totally verbal' after dementia diagnosis, friend reveals (FOX NEWS)
📌 Powerball player wins lottery’s $1.76 billion jackpot — second-largest prize in history (NY POST)
📌 Chris Stapleton cancels multiple shows due to illness: 'Unable to perform' (FOX NEWS)
🗓 CHEERS TO THE FREAKIN WEEKEND
WHAT WE’RE WATCHING: Mosheh: Cable news (all day, every day). And Beckham on Netflix; Jill: Binging Housewives and all things Bravo.
WHAT WE’RE READING: Mosheh: Israel Must Not React Stupidly ~George Packer; Jill: Female frogs fake their deaths to avoid having sex: study~ NY Post
WHAT WE’RE EATING: Mosheh: Homemade chia seed pudding; Jill: Drinking ginger tea.